Councillor says Irish planning system is “secretive and undemocratic”

Labour Councillor for Dublin West John Walsh has said the current statutory process for approval of telecommunications infrastructure, including phone masts, is “secretive and undemocratic.”

Citing Section 254 of the Planning and Development Act, Councillor Walsh said “at present, licence applications for ‘overground telecommunications infrastructure’ on public roads may be made without putting up a site notice and without any notice to residents.”

“Applications for mobile phone masts are treated in the same way as proposals for outdoor seating by a restaurant or pub – the Government has allowed companies seeking licences for phone masts to evade the planning system.”

“While a Section 254 licence is required for a mast, the works are exempt from planning permission and this avoids the formal process of notice and scrutiny which is part of the planning system.”

“This legal position is undemocratic and creates a situation where masts may be built without any notice to local communities.”

Walsh said “recently an application for a telecommunications mast was approved by Fingal Council at the junction of Roselawn and Delwood Road in Dublin 15 and residents had no idea that this was under consideration until after the decision was made.”

“I made an appeal to An Bord Pleanála challenging this decision: the location of the proposed mast is contrary to government guidance which recommends co-location of such infrastructure but more importantly, it is dangerous, as it would be located on a corner where there have been previous road traffic accidents. Submitting this appeal was the only way to open up a four-week consultation period which allowed residents an opportunity to have their say.’

Walsh added: ‘It is not good enough for senior Ministers to object to local applications, but leave the secretive system of approvals in place. I am calling on the Government to amend the Planning and Development Act to ensure that applications for telecommunications infrastructure are made subject to planning permission. This is the only way to ensure transparency and public scrutiny of these applications.’